Trapped
by Ezzie Valentine
Summary: Aeris thought it was love, but her marriage was full of pain. Will she accept the offer of help from her friends to escape a loveless and abusive marriage? Aeriseph, ALTERNATE UNIVERSE.


Trapped  
By Ezri-Candy

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7, but I won't mind a damn bit if Square let me have it…

Summary: Aeris thought it was love, but her marriage was full of pain. Will she accept the offer of help from her friends to escape a loveless and abusive marriage? Aeriseph, ALTERNATE UNIVERSE.

* * *

The bruises that stained her cheeks were a sickly green and mottled purple, her usually vibrant green eyes were dull with shame, embarrassment and pain. 

Crimson eyes narrowed as Vincent reached up to caress the cheek that still retained its normal creamy porcelain appearance as he stood before her. Her left arm sat uselessly in a sling from the shoulder injury she supposedly gained when she tripped going up the stairs. His eyes traced down her form to rest on her rounded belly. For being six months along, she was still very small.

She was trapped. Both in her marriage and with the man who had come to free her from the cage she called her home.

"Aeris, I am concerned about you and the baby. Sephiroth is worried about you as well." He said and watched as she winced when he mentioned his son.

They had been so close throughout high school and college, but when a man by the name of Aion purposed to her, she accepted. Sephiroth was madly in love with Aeris, but was just too late.

"Where is Seph now?" she asked, her voice small and so unlike what he was use to.

"He's outside waiting. He feared that if he came inside and Aion was here…well the rest will remain unsaid for now.." He said and watched her nod slowly.

"Aeris, why do you stay with him when he does this to you?" Vincent asked as he eased her down to sit on the couch.

"I love him, Vincent." She replied, her tone flat and unconvincing.

He shook his head. "Aeris, if you can look me in the eye and tell me that you love him even with the way he treats you, even when he hurts you, I will leave you alone."

The green-eyed woman looked to the father of her best friend. "I…I" She paused for a moment and shook her head, tears slipping down her cheeks as she cradled her belly. "I can't. I though I used to but I'm not even sure of that anymore. I cant leave my husband."

Vincent had been holding his anger within him in order to speak to her but he couldn't hold back anymore. "Aeris, If you don't love Aion, who is it that you love?"

She didn't respond. Vincent reached over and gently grabbed her chin, making his eyes meet hers. "Tell me now. You need to say who it is that you truly love."

"I…I love Sephiroth. I can't leave though, I have to stay."

Vincent shook his head. "My son loves you and you alone! He will take care of you and the child. Aeris, please! You're letting that man hurt you and its not going to get better!" He sat next to her on the couch and pulled her hands into his.

"If murderers come to kill you, you do not say, 'I cannot oppose the next stab wound because my life is already forfeit.' No--you fight for your life! Now more than ever, you need to find that strength you need to fight and leave him right now. (an2, see bottom)

"Aion won't change. You've got to be strong for the safety of yourself and your baby. Please, you'll be safe with us. You're little girl will grow up in a place with people that will love and protect her as well as her mother."

Aeris looked down to the ring on her finger for a few moments before pulling it off, trying not to wince at the pain the action caused to radiate though her bad arm. "I'll go with you." She whispered as she wiped away her tears and placed the gold band on the coffee table. "He won't find me?"

"You have my word. We will do anything and everything needed to protect you." He swore and pulled her to her feet and helped her pack the things that could not be replaced before they left the house. Even if he had to call in a few favors with some of his former 'business associates' to make the man 'disappear', Aion would not lay another hand on Aeris.

Sephiroth stepped out of the car and moved to stand before the chestnut haired woman. He took in her injuries and felt a tear slide down his pale cheek as he pulled his fragile angel into his arms. "Aeris, I love you. I was a fool for not telling you before. I should have been the one to ask you to be my wife before that bastard."

"I love you too, Seph." She whispered and buried her face in his shirt.

"Nothing will ever happen to you again. I promise I will protect you and your daughter. I will treat her as my own and she will have a grandfather that loves her as well." He said and saw Vincent nod in agreement.

"Thank you Seph."

"Lets go before he arrives. The airship is waiting to take us back to Wutai. Aeris, welcome to our family." Vincent said with a smile, noticing her green eyes had already brightened with hope, relief and the true love she gained from his son.

o-o-Authors Notes-o-o

Don't worry, I'm still working on my other fics, getting the chapters outlined an all, but while I'm at work, I do sneak in a chance to write before the managers get there…since I do work at the ass-crack of dawn. I really only have time to write drabbles so full chapters while at work isn't an option.

I can't stress the point that this is au enough. I tend to notice that even though a story marked as such, people still bitch about it not being possible. If you write an au story, more power to you! It gives you a chance to express yourself while using wonderful settings given to you by the creators of the fandom you're writing in…

Anyway, I better shut up now. Please review and thank you for reading my lil drabble. I've been noticing a decline in reviews for all authors on all the fanfic sites and its kinda sad. Authors strive off reviews, its an excellent motivator so please, when you read an authors fic, even if its just to say 'Great job', just leave a note :-)

_(AN2:) If murderers come to kill you, you do not say, 'I cannot oppose the next stab wound because my life is already forfeit.' No--you fight for your life!" _

_Hermon George Jr._

Love ya all!

Ezzy


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